It’s the great generational debate: Side part or middle part? Where we part our hair dictates the facial features we want to play up and sets the tone for our overall vibe.

But what if this defining hair feature that we spend a lot of time contemplating comes with unexpected consequences? According to Korean hair clinic Lee Moon Won, sticking to one hair part forever might be the cause of one of our most pressing hair concerns: unwanted shedding.

How could our hair part possibly contribute to shedding?

There are a few reasons why this might be. Wonuk Hwang, MD, clinic director at the Cheongdam Lebelle Clinic in Seoul, explains that the exposed skin where we part our hair has less protection from environmental stressors such as the sun’s harmful UV rays, and that should always be looked at seriously. Hwang points to studies that show UV radiation can cause cellular damage to the hair follicles and scalp tissue, which could increase hair shedding after severe scalp sunburn. Even though those studies don’t mention hair parts specifically, he says that exposed scalp will always need sun protection.

“It is definitely important to be mindful of cumulative sun exposure on the scalp where we part our hair,” says Helen He, MD, director of lasers and cosmetic surgery and codirector of Mount Sinai-Clinique Healthy Skin Dermatology Center. “Since that area of skin is more exposed to the sun without innate protection from hair, it may be more susceptible to developing skin cancers and precancerous lesions. While there is no current evidence that chronic UV exposure directly leads to increased hair shedding, there is a clear association with skin cancer risk, oxidative stress, and inflammation.”

Treating inflammation is a key part of treating hair loss in K-beauty. As He explains, inflammation around your hair follicles can disrupt the normal hair cycle and lead to increased hair loss and shedding. Several hair conditions, she says, such as seborrheic dermatitis and scalp psoriasis, showcase this; when they increase inflammation on the scalp, it will eventually exacerbate thinning hair. Autoimmune diseases such as alopecia areata, and cicatricial alopecia are considered chronic inflammation disorders that also cause hair loss.

“The thinking is that an inflamed scalp makes follicles more vulnerable,” adds Michelle Lee, chief marketing officer of K-Beauty World and former editor in chief of Allure. “It’s the same logic K-beauty applies to the skin, where you calm the barrier first and everything else works better.”